Could this be this years misfit

16 years ago

Our conifer club does an annual order from Stanley every spring. Wanting something different I ordered Pinus thunbergiani. 'Okinakabu'.

Conifer description as follows: New plant from Dave Dewire, a bonsai man for 30 years, Will have new description next year for this cultivar. Plant from Japan as Bonsai.

When our club order came in I alway help to unpack and sort. When I came to the large conifer in the 6 ft. box I was curious so I unpacked first. I couldn't believe how ugly this thing was and wondered who would order such a misfit. It looked like it had been shoved into a corner since birth with bent limbs and a root ball that was tilted in the pot.

After checking the conifer name...yea you guessed it. How could I be so lucky.

When I got this thing home the first thing I did was cut off one of the two identical leaders it had grown about 18 inches from the top. Pondering what to do with this thing I decided to set on it for the time being. After thinking how weird this thing was it might look cool inn a Japanese garden setting. Besides that I kind of like some conifers that grow on an angle and I have several in my garden.

I posted this as I think every plant has value. It didn't get so ugly on its own. It had to have help. We will see where it goes in the next several years. Could be interesting.

Dave

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Comments (11)

tsugajunkie z5 SE WI ♱
16 years ago
Oh, how...er..uh...windswept. Yeah, windswept.

tj
kim_dirtdigger
16 years ago
Dave,

You do have to wonder how this plant spent it's early years. It was lucky to find a new home with you. You've placed it in a perfect spot -- looks like you picked the plant specifically for that location. It already looks much happier :)

Kim
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basic
16 years ago
Dave,

I think you're really onto something here. Several arbs and/or botanical sites select "plant of the year" awards. Maybe you could start a "misfit of the year" award. You know, give some recognition to those plants only a mother (or serious conifer collector) could love. What are some misfits from years past? This is bound to make some people upset, but I'd like to nominate Picea abies 'Cobra'. :>)

Bob
dcsteg
Original Author
16 years ago
Looks like it's suffering a hang over.

Here is a link that might be useful: Picea a. Cobra
basic
16 years ago
"Best planted in full sun."

And where it won't scare young children. That's fugly!
jaro_in_montreal
16 years ago
"When staked, trees have a relatively tall, straight, sparsely-branched main trunk"

The photo doesn't nearly fit the description -- nor match the specimen that I saw at a local nursery, which fits the "sparsely-branched" description to a tee !
...of course its a lot uglier too :O)
...sort of a (greatly) stretched version of Dave's 'Okinakabu' - if you can picture that !
Fledgeling_
16 years ago
Dave, the plant looks very.. appropriate for its location. Way to turn lemons into lemonade. I think.

jaro, the plant you saw does fit the description because the description also states that each plant has its own "wildly unique" characterÂ
and its "character" was simply too strong, I supposeÂ
dansgrdn
16 years ago
Dave, I definately like it's surroundings. Maybe in a few years, when its bark "corks" up, you could say that you intentionally opened it up, to show the character of its trunk. A little candling here, and there, might eventually turn it into a work of art, but for now I might suggest an alternative cultivar name, Pinus thunbergii 'Charlie Brown' ;) Dan
dcsteg
Original Author
16 years ago
Thanks Dan for the name. We will just call him Charlie for the time being. I don't want him to have to much notoriety or fame as he hasn't revealed his true character yet.
Praise and accolades could be coming his way or the saw could be his demise if he doesn't tow the mark and behave himself. I have no idea what I am dealing with.

Aside from that what have you planned for you garden this year? Hopefully some photos will be forth coming.

Dave
glen3a
16 years ago
You may have not received the ideal specimen but at least the plant appears healthy otherwise. I tend to like plants with character. I 'rescued' a thuja occidentalis 'pyramidalis' from the discount store a few years ago. Typical garden center plant that sat there all summer probably drying out daily. Anyways, took a chance and planted it, and it's now 5 feet tall and nice looking.

Nice yard pic, by the way.
Good luck,
Glen
dansgrdn
16 years ago
Dave, if anyone can turn "Charlie" into something special, you can. I've been dying to take some pictures, but Spring is really late here this year, so there's not too much going on yet. I don't have any major projects planned yet, but I'm hoping to build a low rock wall out of "Chilton Pink" 4-5" thick flagstone later this week. It will help me extend one of my beds, and give me a little more planting space. I've enjoyed all of the photos you've posted recently. Thanks, Dan

Could this be this years misfit

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tsugajunkie z5 SE WI ♱

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